Luminous Landscape Forum > The PhaseOne/Mamiya AFDIII review

foto-z

Jul 14 2008, 10:09 AM

QUOTE (Snook @ Jul 4 2008, 04:43 PM)

Does anybody in here even have Sinar.. Just wondering b/c you never hear anything about them unless it is a Sells pitch from in here.
I have never seen or heard of anybody using Sinar...

So you've never seen my posts and my signature?

Sinar e54LV user here.

G_Allen

Jul 14 2008, 01:22 PM

Does anyone else have any hands-on information about the new Phase/Mamiya body?

Is the viewfinder magnification any bigger? Brighter?

Thanks...

Jack Flesher

Jul 14 2008, 01:41 PM

QUOTE (G_Allen @ Jul 14 2008, 03:22 PM)

Does anyone else have any hands-on information about the new Phase/Mamiya body?

Is the viewfinder magnification any bigger? Brighter?

Thanks...

Same size magnification (needs to be to view the new true full-frame P65+ sensor). Maybe a touch brighter, but then I found the AFD2 finder pretty bright to begin with

It does take the same screens as the AFD2, I've already swapped my grid screen out of the AFD2 into the AFD3.

BobDavid

Jul 14 2008, 03:47 PM

How does the auto focus on the Mamiya AFD III compare to that on an H3D II?

Guy Mancuso

Jul 14 2008, 03:59 PM

Bob have not tried against the Hassy bodies but I did play with a H3 couple weeks ago and I would say it is faster and more like a D300 or 5D . Yes it is pretty quick. Also shutter lag also seems to be faster. Af does seem to be noiser but the shutter is dampened a little better than the AFDII. So far i really like the way it feels. I will be giving it a heavy run next week, so we will see how it does under the gun in a fast paced situation like runway stuff. I will be shooting the Phase body , P25 Plus and the 300mm AF lens at high ISO's. This is pushing the system right into 35mm world, fingers crossed

Anders_HK

Jul 14 2008, 09:35 PM

QUOTE (BobDavid @ Jul 15 2008, 04:47 AM)

How does the auto focus on the Mamiya AFD III compare to that on an H3D II?

Bob,

I demoed Phase One on a Hassy H2 earlier this year. Per my recollection AF speed may be similar.

The AFDIII is not super fast but to point of being an improved tool. I could better compare to Nikon F100 and D200 which I used extensively. For those I would say it is slower than 28-70 AF-S and the like, but somewhat faster than the slow 80-400 VR. Also not the focus hunting that 80-400 exhibited. Thus a tad slow to put it into SLR cathegory...

Regards
Anders

olaf

Jul 15 2008, 09:08 AM

Hi Anders
Picking up my AFD3 later this week.
Two questions if you can help:
1. I didn't think Kirk made L plates for the AFD? They are not listed in my brochure and I don't see them on the web. Can you please let me know the serial number of the L plate you have found to work?
2. I also like the idea of a wrist strap. I checked your Camadapter suggestion and it looks good. But can you leave the wrist strap on the camera and mount it on a tripod at the same time? From the web photos it looks as if the Camadapter base plate will interfere with the Kirk body plate for the AFD?

Any light you can shed would be appreciated!
Thx

Olaf

QUOTE (Anders_HK @ Jul 14 2008, 01:53 AM)

Snook and Don,

Kirk's L-bracket fits AFDIII. I just got the AFDIII this weekend, upgrading from a used AFD. I have the Kirk bracket and have a www.Camdapter.com leather hand strap laying waiting for it, plan to use together with my Optech strap.

Regards
Anders

Jack Flesher

Jul 15 2008, 09:46 AM

QUOTE (olaf @ Jul 15 2008, 11:08 AM)

Hi Anders
Picking up my AFD3 later this week.
Two questions if you can help:
1. I didn't think Kirk made L plates for the AFD? They are not listed in my brochure and I don't see them on the web. Can you please let me know the serial number of the L plate you have found to work?
2. I also like the idea of a wrist strap. I checked your Camadapter suggestion and it looks good. But can you leave the wrist strap on the camera and mount it on a tripod at the same time? From the web photos it looks as if the Camadapter base plate will interfere with the Kirk body plate for the AFD?

Any light you can shed would be appreciated!
Thx

Olaf

The Kirk BL-645AF fits the Mamiya 6.45AF and 6.45AFD and AFD2 and AFD3. I machined a slot in the bottom where it meets the body and threaded the end of my wrist strap under that, held in place with one of the plastic strap keepers (or you could use a small split-ring) while the other end attaches to the top strap lug. Works perfectly.

woof75

Jul 15 2008, 11:07 AM

QUOTE (eronald @ Jul 1 2008, 08:19 PM)

If Phase and Mamiya think they will up-price the body and lenses by means of a paint job they are making a serious mistake. You don't turn a Volkswagen into a Mercedes by moving a couple of knobs around on the dashboard.

The new pricing is unjustified. I own a P45+ and Mamiya combo, the camera works ok mostly (damages about one of 20 shots) but is clearly what you'd call a "value proposition" for people who want MF quality at the lowest possible price point with no frills. $200 or $300 used lenses can be found all over the place, some AF and most MF.

I'd say that with Phase/Mamiya rasing prices and Hassy lowering theirs, and with Hassy improving both their backs and their software, any advantages of Mamiya as a value proposition are quickly being erased. The screen on the back of the Hassy will probably seal the deal for any doubters.

There is an argument to be made for Mamiya in fashion - the lenses have a nice soft look - but it cuts the other way for landscape. I do much prefer the Mamiya viewfinder to that of the Hassy.

Edmund

In what area is the H2 "better" than the Mamiya? It's just not that simple, some prefer the H some prefer AFD, there's no way one is the Merc and the other a VW. How do you damage shots? In a 1000 frames I may have one thats out of focus and I shoot fashion hand held.

Anders_HK

Jul 15 2008, 06:29 PM

QUOTE (Jack Flesher @ Jul 15 2008, 10:46 PM)

The Kirk BL-645AF fits the Mamiya 6.45AF and 6.45AFD and AFD2 and AFD3. I machined a slot in the bottom where it meets the body and threaded the end of my wrist strap under that, held in place with one of the plastic strap keepers (or you could use a small split-ring) while the other end attaches to the top strap lug. Works perfectly.

Olaf,

Yup, BL-645AF, look at www.kirkphoto.com under "L-brackets for other cameras". With a file you can make a small slot for the Camdapter strap to fit. No need for their tripod plate. I have not yet mounted the strap because it is somewhere in boxes here. My plan is to attach other end to the plastic buckle on my Optech neck strap. Will work

Anders

olaf

Jul 16 2008, 01:33 AM

Thx Jack and Anders
BTW I also asked RRS why they didn't make an L plate specifically for the M645 AFD2. They are making it now - it will ship by the end of the month. It is the BM 645L. It can be found here: http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.a...645%2DL&eq=&Tp=

Now we have 2 solutions! Thx for your help.
Olaf

QUOTE (Anders_HK @ Jul 15 2008, 11:29 PM)

Olaf,

Yup, BL-645AF, look at www.kirkphoto.com under "L-brackets for other cameras". With a file you can make a small slot for the Camdapter strap to fit. No need for their tripod plate. I have not yet mounted the strap because it is somewhere in boxes here. My plan is to attach other end to the plastic buckle on my Optech neck strap. Will work

Anders